


Falling

by spacs



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Hawke left in the Fade, M/M, Mild Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-06
Updated: 2015-04-06
Packaged: 2018-03-21 11:42:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,187
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3690957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spacs/pseuds/spacs
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They were falling. They were going to die.</p><p>Even in the panic, his gaze found Mahon falling just above him. Dorian felt his throat close because 'they' included the Inquisitor. Mahon stretched his hand out and Dorian reached out for him in return. Instead, the magic from his marked hand reacted and there was a flash of green.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Falling

**Author's Note:**

> This was actually going to be longer than it is, but I decided to disperse it between a few different chapters. There will be another one that will involve Dorian and Mahon talking about the fears that were listed on their graves. And, who knows, maybe I'll throw in some more kisses. Maybe some other stuff too, who knows?

They were falling. They were going to die.

Even in the panic, his gaze found Mahon falling just above him. Dorian felt his throat close because 'they' included the Inquisitor. Mahon stretched his hand out and Dorian reached out for him in return. Instead, the magic from his marked hand reacted and there was a flash of green.

His vision blackened, he felt a _pull_ , his stomach turning, and suddenly his back slammed to the ground. He fully expected to open his eyes and be dead, whatever that would mean. It took him a few moments to realize that he needed to breathe and air rushed to his lungs as he gasped. His eyes flew open and he jerked up from the ground, his body trying to regain the wind that had been knocked out of him.

Well shit. He was alive. Wheezing, but alive.

Dorian lurched up. He didn't notice nor care where he was or how he survived. He only cared that the last thing he saw was a terrified Mahon reaching out for him but now the elf was nowhere to be seen. "Amatus?" he tried, but his voice failed him as his body struggled to regain his breath. His eyes found Iron Bull bent over a large stone, wretching noises coming from the qunari. Next he saw Cole who was trying to pull himself to his feet but was shaking too violently to stand without harshly gripping the stones around. " _Mahon_?" he attempted again, his voice stronger to the point of a shout.

There was a fade ripping noise that he'd become so accustomed to behind him and he turned to see Mahon landing on his back. All of a sudden, Dorian knew how to breathe again.

He tried not to show how completely terrified he had been. The thought of losing Mahon was so much worse than realizing they were physcially in the Fade. Mahon's voice had that 'Inquisitor' ring to it as he began to make a plan. His voice was steady and comforting as Cole panicked before them. Even Iron Bull was squeezing his hands into fists to try and keep himself calm. But the elf caught his eye and Dorian saw what Mahon was not letting show: he was terrified.

Dorian discreetly stepped to Mahon's side when they started moving and squeezed his arm. Mahon shot him a grateful smile and kept walking, no longer looking at the other mage. He was gripping his staff so tightly that his knuckles were turning white. Dorian, however, felt unusually calm beside Mahon. If the Inquisitor was frightened, then he didn't have time to be. He was going to look after the other man, whatever came.

* * *

The graves disturbed Dorian more than anything else they'd seen so far. Seeing their friends' fears laying bare before them was unnerving.

Mahon was frowning at his tombstone. ' _To not be accepted_ ' was written underneath his name. While it was a matter of curiosity for Dorian, it clearly was upsetting the Inquisitor. He went to him, touching his shoulder and said, "Best keep moving."

The elf did not answer or look at him. His jaw clenched and he swallowed before nodding his head and turning to join the rest of the party. Dorian pursed his lips in worry and kept himself from taking the other man's hand. He glanced at the word, ' _temptation_ ' that was on his own tombstone and sighed before following Mahon's lead once more.

The group had fallen into a heavy silence. They were getting close now yet somehow it was not a thought that brought comfort.

* * *

"Help Bull!" Mahon shouted, gesturing Dorian over to the qunari. He'd taken a blow to his chest for Hawke while she was temporarily incapacitated, possibly saved her life, but was now seriously injured and barely able to keep himself up. Dorian hesitated for the briefest moment. He didn't want to go first this time. "Hawke and I have to help Alistair, _go_ Dorian!"

There was that Inquistor voice again. The one that made it clear this was not a request. Dorian ran to the Iron Bull and hooked a large arm around his shoulder, Cole on the other side. Together the two of them helped Bull out through the rift, stumbling as they passed back into the real world and falling on the stone beneath them. The battle around them was still raging, but front line healers noticed their fall, rushing forward to help them hoist Iron Bull to his feet and out of further harm's way.

When Dorian turned around, Mahon wasn't behind him. And, once again, he was sure that the elf was not going to follow but Cole's hand on his shoulder stopped him from running back. "There," he said, pointing to the rift just as Mahon and Alistair tumbled through. The elf closed his marked hand and sealing the rift with the most ease Dorian had ever seen him accomplish.

Once the rift was closed and the demons had fallen there was a silent pause before Cole said, "Hawke did not come back with them. I can't hear her."

* * *

Dorian, Cole, and Iron Bull were sent ahead to Skyhold. Mahon had remained behind with Cullen to help with the soldiers. The commander had said something about how it would be good for morale if the Inquisitor was seen aiding the men and women. Right now, Dorian didn't care much for morale.

When the Inquisitor returned to Skyhold, a week after the first party arrived, he did not go to see Dorian immediately. He went straight to his quarters to work, writing up multiple reports on what transpired at Adamant and the Fade. Dorian didn't care much for reports, either.

"Dorian?"

He glanced over his shoulder from where he stood scanning the shelves of the library. Mahon stood just a few feet away from him, his arms hanging loosely at his sides. Dorian pursed his lips and continued looking at the spines of the books. "You have remarkably little here on early Tevinter history. All these gifts to the Inquistion and the best they can do is Malefica Imperio. _Trite_ propaganda." He pulled out a book about one of the Divines. "But if you want twenty volumes on whether Divine Galatea took a shit on Sunday, this is evidently the place to find it." He threw the book onto the table next to him, with a bit more force than he intended.

Mahon chuckled and leaned against the wall next to the bookshelf. His arms folded over his chest and he glanced at the books himself, smirking. "That's the Dorian I know: critiquing every book in my library."

He frowned and stepped away. "I wouldn't _have_ to if you could find some rebellious heretic archivist to join the cause."

" _Are_ there rebellious archivists? Other than you that is?" His smirk had faded a bit.

Dorian shrugged and went to lean on the bannister. "If Corypheus ever starts burning masterworks of literature, I'm sure a few will pop up."

Mahon sighed, giving Dorian a look that he knew would make him spill all of his thoughts to the elf. "What's this about Dorian?" He sounded tired.

It was Dorian's turn to sigh. "Come, I'd rather talk in private," Dorian replied, gesturing to Mahon to lead the way to his quarters.

Mahon was the first to speak when they arrived. "You sound angry."

"I _am_." Dorian ground his teeth together. "When we fell into the chasm... into the Fade... I thought you were done for." He didn't look at the elf. It was still strange to let himself feel the things he was feeling for the Inquisitor and he wasn't completely certain how to go about expressing it. "I don't know if I can forgive you for that moment."

Mahon frowned. "What? I'm here and alive. I didn't open the rift on purpose. It's a good thing I did otherwise we would have _actually_ been dead." He blinked, trying to sort out his words. "And you were right there with me the whole time."

"Not the whole time," Dorian retorted, gesturing angrily with his hands.

"It _was_ the whole time, Dorian! What is there to forgive?"

"For making me think you were dead!" Dorian snapped. Mahon's expression softened, his lips parting as if to speak, but Dorian interrupted. He pointed accusingly at the elf and said, "You sent me ahead and then didn't follow." His hand lowered and he scowled, looking away from Mahon because those blue eyes were getting to him. "For a moment..." His voice caught in his throat. "For a moment I was _certain_ you wouldn't." He took steps toward the balcony, away from Mahon. "I thought, 'This is it. This is when I _finally_ lose him forever'."

There was a heavy pause as Dorian's words lingered in the air between them. Mahon stepped toward him, his voice softer, gentler now. "I'm here, Dorian. I'm alive. You didn't lose me."

He sighed and turned back. "That isn't the point. I thought I had lost you. And for that moment... I wasn't sure what I was going to do. The _point_ , amatus, is that I don't _want_ to lose you. Ever."

That made Mahon smile lightly. He moved to Dorian, putting his hands on the other's forearms. "You won't."

"Does that mark on your hand give you the gift of foresight as well?"

Mahon chuckled. "No," he admitted. "But _I'm_ promising you that you won't lose me."

Dorian's eyebrows drew in a little a he took the other's face into his hands, studying the dark circles under Mahon's eyes and that worried look that he was trying to hide. "Are you... alright?"

The elf's smile faded and he pulled his face away from Dorian's grasp. "I'm fine," he said defensively, taking a step away.

It was Dorian's turn to frown. "You're just... fine?" He took Mahon's arm, coaxing the other to look at him again.

"Yes."

"Bullshit. I was there. I saw it." He forced his words to come out less harshly as he pulled the elf closer. "Tell me, amatus."

Mahon took in a deep breath and sighed, his hands going to Dorian's forearms again. "I..." He looked to Dorian again and he saw that same mask that Mahon had in the Fade. "It was like walking in a nightmare except everything was real." As he talked, the mask broke and Mahon closed his eyes. "I couldn't..." his voice faded.

Dorian let out a low hum in his throat, pulling Mahon forward so he could kiss the other's forehead. "Ah, it's as I thought. The Fade is an ordeal under normal circumstances. To be the only real thing there... beyond description."

"That's putting it lightly," Mahon remarked. He wrapped his arms around Dorian's waist, pulling away slightly. "We lost Hawke.

He nodded. "I know. That any of us made it out alive is difficult to believe. That _you_ made it out... a miracle, one for which I'm profoundly grateful."

"I'm glad you were there with me."

Dorian chuckled. "No offense, but I almost rather I hadn't been."

Mahon rolled his eyes, a grin returning to his lips, and stepped away from him to head to his desk. "No sense of adventure?" he joked. "That's surprising."

Dorian followed him, sitting on the edge of his desk as Mahon took a seat in the chair. "I've not your talent for survival."

The elf grinned up at him, gathering the reports he'd written about the ordeal. "Well the good thing about having that talent is getting you out of things too. My survival is your survival," he said, returning his eyes back to his work.

Dorian smiled down at Mahon, watching him work before leaning over and taking his chin to lift the other's face up again. "Next time, _you_ leap to safety first." He leaned over pressing his lips solidly to Mahon's. The elf's hand went up, only able to reach Dorian's leg where he was sitting, responding to the kiss. "Got it?" Dorian added as he pulled away.

Mahon nodded, not releasing his grasp. "Mm, yes just don't stop kissing me," he said, moving his hand to Dorian's neck to pull the other's lips back to his.

Dorian grinned into the kiss, pulling away just barely to say, "It looks as if you have work to do, Inquisitor." He brushed his fingers over Mahon's hand. "I'll come back tonight."

Mahon sighed, but relinquished. "Have it your way," he replied. "Speaking of work, Leliana wants a report from everyone about the Fade. Cassandra is writing one from our accounts without even having been there."

"Yes sir," Dorian said reluctantly. "I'll hand deliver it to your desk this evening." He smirked leaning back over to give a lingering kiss, brushing his teeth over Mahon's bottom lip briefly. "Then perhaps we will find something even _better_ to use your desk for."

As Dorian pulled away, Mahon leaned forward to follow him. He let out a short, breathless laugh. " _Tease_ ," he accused Dorian's retreating form.

"I shall see you tonight, _oh lord Inquisitor_ ," was Dorian's only reply.


End file.
